Lubricating journal-box



(No Model.) v

J. ROGERS.

i LUBRIGATING JOURNAL B0X. No. 602,959. PatenedApr. 26, 1898. 17g. J. l

C75/NLE@ @f UNITED STATES nrn'r union.

JOHN ROGERS, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

LU BRICATINVG JOURNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,959, dated April26, 1898.

Application iiled July l, 1897. Serial No. 643,084. (No model.)

box in actual practice Was found to be objec` tionable in that thejolting of the cars and 'the rotation of the journal would splash andcarry oil to a point above the sides of the reservoir, and this oilwould run down the sides of the axle-box externally of the reservoir andmake the same and the interior of the axlebox dirty and filthy in anundesirable degree.

tain novel and peculiar features of construe' tion and combinations ofparts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I will proceed todescribe it With reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure l represents a central vertical longitudinal section of acar-axle box and a lubricating journal-box embodying my invention. Fig.2 represents a section taken on the line Il II of Fig. Fig. 3 representsa v section taken on the line Ill III of Fig. l.

In the said drawings, l designates a caraxle box provided with thecustomary door 2 and with a large opening 3 in its front end below saiddoor. The side Walls of the box are internally provided withinwardly-proj ecting deiiecting-ribs 4, fora purpose Which will bepresentlyT explained, o designates the journal of an axle, projectinginto said box and arranged in the customary manner.

6 designates the reservoir of the lubricating journal-box. It is ofelongated rectangular form, so as to fit snugly between the side Wallsof the axle-box, and of a lengthl to extend from the back wall, which itabuts against and overlaps, to thefront end of the axle-box, of whichend it forms a part, it being rounded at its lower end, as at 7, andextended or iianged upwardly, as at 8, to the plane of thedeflecting-ribs 1l. Said rounded and hanged end 7 and 8, respectively,of the reservoir fits snugly in and closes the opening 3 of theaxle-box, as shown clearly in Fig. l. The Weight of the door and thepres sure of its actuating-spring, which isshown, but not described, asit is of the customary form and arrangement, is adapted to hold thereservoir in proper position in the axle-box, and it will be obviousthat when said door is opened the reservoir may be easily slid fromposition, owing to the fact that when the door is open there is no frontend to the box except that formed by the reservoir, and consequentlythere is no lifting or tilting required to remove the latter.

The reservoir, near its front end, is pro-V vided With an openingthrough which it may be supplied With oil Without removing it fromposition, and said opening is normally closed by means of a screw-plug9, and it is also provided centrally With a longitudinal slot or opening10 in its upper side, the rear end of said slot being coincident withthe rear Wall of the reservoir and its front end vertically below theend of the journal, at this point the reservoir being provided with adepending vertical ilange l0 for a purpose which will presently beexplained. The top wall, for about the length of said slot, slopes down-Wardly and inwardly, as at ll, so that any oil which may drip thereonwill be conveyed back into the reservoir through said slot or openingl0, and it is also provided With'the transverse slots l2, through whichpins or hooks (not shown) may be inserted when it is desirable ornecessary to adjust the Wicks, as hereinbefore referred to. Thereservoir is also provided centrally With a guidewrib '13, projectingvertically upward from its bottom.

IOO

14 designates the wick-tube, which is ofV V jects, and thereby insuresadirect vertical movement of the wick-tube when adjusted automatically toaccommodate the Wear upon the wicks. Said tube is provided at itsopposite ends and in its under side With one or more cavities 17, Withinwhich iit snugly expansive springs 18, coiled aroundV the guidepins 19,projecting upwardly from the base and centrally of said cavities. Thesesprings tend constantly to elevate the wick-tube, and the only restraintupon such movement is due to the fact that the Wicks 20 bear firmlyagainst the journal at their upper ends. As such ends wear by frictionalcontact With the j ournal the wick-tube is automatically lifted by saidsprings and a constant contact thereby maintained between the wick andthe journal.

VThe back wall of the reservoir and therdepending flange 10 at theopposite end of the guide-tube assist the guide-rib 13 in maintainingthe wick-tube in its vertical position, so that the sprin gs shallalways be free to perform their proper function and the Wicks,consequently, always in engagement With the journal.

Owing tothe fact Vthat the back wall projects above the top wall andthat the flange 8 projects also above the same, it is obvious that therocking or oscillatory movement of a car cannot cause the surplus oil,Which may splash up through the openings 10 or 12 or be carried up bythe journal and by centrifugal force discharged against the side Wallsof the axle-box above the dellector-ribs 4, to escape past the ends ofthe reservoir, nor will such movement materially retard the rentrance ofthe oil to the reservoir in the manner hereinbefore explained.

From the above description it will be'apparent that I have produced acombined car axle and lubricating journal-box which insures properlubrication andan economic use of oil and which is simple, strong,durable, and inexpensive of manufacture, and it is to be understood, ofcourse, that these lubricating journal-boxes I design for use inconnection with locomotivejournals orin connection with the journalsof'any style of vehicle to which it can be applied Without necessitatingsuch changes as would be a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lubricating journal-box, comprising a reservoir provided with acentralV slot or opening in its top wall, a depending ilange at one endof the same., and a vertical longitudinal rib projecting upwardly fromits bottom and centrally of said slot or opening, and avertically-adjustable Wick-tube fitting snugly in said opening andprovided with a recess 16 into which said guide-rib projects,substantially as described.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with acar-axle box provided with an openingin its frontend below its door, andhorizontal ribs projecting internally from its sides coincidentally Withthe upper edge of said opening, of a lubricating journal-box fittingsnugly within and upon the bottom of the car-axle box and provided witha rounded end and flange closing the opening in the front end of thebox, and provided with a central slot or opening, and with a central ribprojecting upwardly from its bottom; a double wick-tube fitting snuglyin the slot or opening and provided with a recess fitting on said rib;and springs bearing upon the bottom of said box and exerting a const-antupward pressure upon said tube, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN ROGERS.

Vitnesses:

M. R. REMLEY, G. Y. THORPE.

